Many, maybe all, of us have struggled to find affordable, reliable child care that fits our odd and demanding hours. And few of us have family in town to offer backup.

I worked nights and weekends for years (always part time), partly because that was what the job required but with the huge benefit of maximizing the waking hours I spent with my two kids each day and minimizing the amount of money we spent on child care. It was great when they were little, took naps in the afternoon and were too little for school.

Now that they're in school all day, I've been lucky enough to find a job here that allows me to get me home just in time to pick them up from school. On the other hand, it's exhausting, with little or no time for myself or my husband, or to do those pesky daily chores that life requires.

What about you? How do you juggle the demands of work, family and budget realities? What are the biggest frustrations? What can families do to support one another with these family challenges? And what have been the saving graces for your family?